Automatic switch



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P. S. ROGERS. AUTOMATIC swncm No. 577,520. Paten'qgd ,Feb. 23, 1897.

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' P. S. ROGERS.

AUTOMATIC SWITGH.

1%. 571 520. Patented Feb 23,,l897.

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PS. ROGERS.

I YAUTOM'ATIG SWITCH.

- (No Model.) 4 Sheets'- Sheet 4 P.SQROGBRS. AUTOMATIC SWITGH No. 577,520. Patented Feb. 23. 1897.

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PERoY s. ROGERS, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,520, dated February 23 1897.

Application filed July 16, 1896. Serial No. 599,427- KNo model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY S. ROGERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Switches; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is the prod uction of an automatic switch designed to be actuated from. the car or other vehicle, whereby the danger of accident to life orlimb incident to the operation of the switch from the ground is eliminated.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section of a road-bed, showing aportion of the vehicle in diagrammatical outline and provided with switchtripping mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the switch and switcl1-actuating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same, and Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 and showing in elevation a portion of one end of the vehicle.

Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates a pair of rails, 2 a frog, and 3 a switch-point pivoted at 4.

5 indicates a casing located between and below the tracks and consisting of a substantially rectangular metallic box provided with comparatively shallow and narrow extensions 6 adjacent to each of the tracks.

'7 indicates cover-plates for the casing extensions 6, provided with longitudinal guideslots 8, enlarged at one end, as indicated.

9 indicates a'cover or cap plate for the easing proper. The cover-plates 7 and 9 are cut away, as indicated at 10, to form an oblong recess immediately adjacent to each track for the reception of what I will call the switchgrips 11, pivoted upon horizontal studs 12, projecting from the tracks.

The grips 11 consist of two hinged jaws or hooks provided with tailpieces l3 and 14. The tailpiece 13 is rigid with one of the hooks of the grip and extends'rearwardly from the pivot-stud 12, while the tailpiece 14 extends from the other hook downwardly in front of the stud and engages a cam-groove 15 in a groove-frame 16, secured within the casing below the grip.

17 indicates a double bell-crank lever provided with a shaft 18, journaled in suitable bearings 19 at the bottom of the casing, and to the vertical arm 20 of which is pivoted a pitman 21, pivoted at its opposite end to the switch-point 3.

22 2 indicate a pair of coaxial rock-shafts located upon either side and to the rear of the bell-crank lever and provided upon their ad jacent ends with levers 23, extending into operative proximity to the horizontal arms 24 of the double bell-crank lever 17.

The rock-shafts 22 22 are provided upon their extremities opposite to the levers 23 with levers 25, pivoted to pitmen 26, which are in turn connected to the extremities of the tailpieces 13 of the grips.

27 indicates spiral springs secured at their opposite ends to the bottom of the casing and the extremities of the levers 25, respectively, and designed to yieldingly retain the mechanism in its normal position.

The mechanism thus far described constitutes what may be called the switch-actuating mechanism, inasmuch as it comprehends those elements of my device which are permanently connected with the switch and which are designed to be actuated from the vehicle for the purpose of throwing the switchpoint from one side to the other, as the case may be.

Supposing the mechanism to be in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 3, and that it is desired to throw the switch-point in the position illustrated in Fig. 4 from its opposite position, a hook of any ordinary construction,eithe'r attached to the vehicle or held in the hand of a trainman, is lowered from the vehicle as it approaches the switch. As soon as the hook reaches the guide-slot 8 it will drop into the enlarged end and will be guided to the grip 11. Continued movement of the vehicle will now cause the grip to swing upon its stud 12, depressing the tailpiece 13, rocking the rock-shaft 22 against the tension of the spring 27. The lever 23 will in turn be depressed, carrying with it the adjacent arm 2 L of the double bell-crank lever, and thereby communicating motion to the pitman 21 for the purpose of throwing the switch.

It is necessary that the hook be immediately released as soon as the grip has performed its function, and it is to accomplish this purpose that the grip is made of a pair of hinged jaws, which may be spread apart to release the mechanism employed to actuate it. As soon as the grip has been swung upon its pivot a sufficient distance the tailpiece 1% will strike the angular or cam portion of the groove 15, which will cause it to be deflected or thrown toward the tailpiece 13, thereby opening the gripjaws and permitting the hook to pass out of engagement therewith. The spring 27 will now return the parts to their normal posit-ions and the switch-point may be thrown in the opposite direction by a similar operation through the medium of the opposite grip.

While any suitable hook may be employed for the burpose of tripping the switch-actuating mechanism I prefer to employ what I will call switch-tripping mechanism, consisting of a pair of pivoted trip-levers 2S underneath the platform of the car, the rear or long ends of thelevers being hooked, as illustrated. The other ends of these levers are provided with curved extremities designed to receive the extremity of the lever 29, pivotally carried upon a standard 30 and constantly impelled to retain the trip-lever in position by a spring 31.

32 indicates foot-rods projecting above the car-platform and seated at their opposite ends in sockets carried by the levers 29.

It will be apparent that when it is desired to depress either trip-lever it is simply nec essary for the motorman to depress the corresponding foot-rod, thereby elevating the end of the lever 29 adjacent to the trip-lever and permitting the latter to drop into its operative position. As soon as the foot of the operator is removed from the rod 32 the lever 29 will be impelled by the spring 31 to elevate the trip-lever and retain it in such position.

I do not limit myself to the details of construetion herein shown and described, but reserve to myself the right to change, modify, or vary them at wll within the scope of my invention.

\Vhat I claim is- 1. In switch actuating mechanism, the combination with a pivoted grip designed to be actuated from a vehicle and consisting of a pair of hinged jaws pivoted upon studs projecting from the tracks, of aswitch-point, and

mechanism intermediate of the point and grip whereby the grip may be actuated to operate the switch-point, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a switc]1.-point, of a plurality of grips located adjacent to the opposite rails, trip-levers carried by the car and adapted to engage the grips and mechanism intermediate of the grips and point for operating the latter when the grips are actuated, substantially as specified.

The combination with a pivoted grip consisting of a pair of hinged jaws, andaswitchpoint, of mechanism intermediate of the grip and point for communicating motion from the former to the latter, and mechanism designed to open the jaws of the grip when the latter is actuated to throw the switch, substantially as specified.

t. The combination with a pivoted grip consisting of a pair of hinged jaws provided, respectively with tailpieccs, of a switch-point, mechanism intermediate of the switch-point and one of said tailpieces for communicating power from the former to the latter, and a cam-groove engaged by the other of said tailpieces, substantially as specified.

5. The combination with a switclrpoint and pivoted grip, of a spring-actuated rock-shaft, bell-crank lever, mechanism intermediate of the rock-shaft and grip, mechanism intermediate of the rock-shaft and bell-crank lever, and mechanism intermediate of the bellcrank lever and switch-point whereby as the grip is operated power is communicated to actuate the switch point, substantially as specified.

G. The combination with a grip, switchpointand intermediate mechanism, of a platecover or similar element provided with a guide-slot designed to guide a trip-lever or the like to the grip and means for automatically releasing the grip, substantially as specified.

7. The combination with a trip-lever, of spring-actuated mechanism designed to elevate the trip-lever, a grip adapted to be en gaged and operated by the trip-lever and a foot'rod designed to release said trip-lever, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I ai'fix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PERCY S. ROGERS.

\Vitn esscs:

MARY W. ROBERTS, WILLIAM F. Annmv. 

